ICA Boston

Laylah Ali

Essay by Suzanne Wise. Introduction by Jessica Morgan.

The implicit violence, frozen narratives, and pared-down, comic-book aesthetic of Layla Ali's gouache-and-ink drawings present an ambiguous place where civilization and psychology meet. Psycho-political situations are suggested, but rarely acted out, by figures dressed in costumes derived from superhero wear and sports gear, garb reminiscent of outfits worn by the KKK, the Pope, and Coptic priests. Who are they? What are they doing? Their gender neutralized by unisex costumes, their race neutralized by green-colored skin, Ali has created a tight, contained, strangely compelling hand-drawn world in which questions are unanswerable, narratives refuse to go forward, and yet everything is eerily perfect.

PUBLISHED BY:ICA Boston
LIST PRICE: US $10.95 CAD $13.00
FORMAT:Paperback, 8 x 8.25 in. / 36 pgs / 22 color
ISBN: 9780910663625 ISBN10: 0910663629
PUBLICATION DATE:01/02/2002
AVAILABILITY: Out of Print. Check the Stores tab to locate a shop that may have copies.
D.A.P. DISTRIBUTION CODE:TRADE